IMPORTANCE This is the first multisite, randomized clinical trial of stellate ganglion block (SGB) outcomes on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.OBJECTIVE To determine whether paired SGB treatments at 0 and 2 weeks would result in improvement in mean Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) total symptom severity scores from baseline to 8 weeks. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTSThis multisite, blinded, sham-procedure, randomized clinical trial used a 2:1 SGB:sham ratio and was conducted from May 2016 through March 2018 in 3 US Army Interdisciplinary Pain Management Centers. Only physicians performing the procedures and the procedure nurses were aware of the intervention (but not the participants or assessors); their interactions with the participants were scripted and limited to the 2 interventions. Active-duty service members on stable psychotropic medication dosages who had a PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C) score of 32 or more at screening were included. Key exclusion criteria included a prior SGB treatment, selected psychiatric disorders or substance use disorders, moderate or severe traumatic brain injury, or suicidal ideation in the prior 2 months.INTERVENTIONS Paired right-sided SGB or sham procedures at weeks 0 and 2.MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Improvement of 10 or more points on mean CAPS-5 total symptom severity scores from baseline to 8 weeks, adjusted for site and baseline total symptom severity scores (planned a priori). RESULTSOf 190 screened individuals, 113 (59.5%; 100 male and 13 female participants; mean [SD] age, 37.3 [6.7] years) were eligible and randomized (74 to SGB and 39 to sham treatment), and 108 (95.6% of 113) completed the study. Baseline characteristics were similar in the SGB and sham treatment groups, with mean (SD) CAPS-5 scores of 37.6 (11.2) and 39.8 (14.4), respectively (on a scale of 0-80); 91 (80.0%) met CAPS-5 PTSD criteria. In an intent-to-treat analysis, adjusted mean total symptom severity score change was −12.6 points (95% CI, −15.5 to −9.7 points) for the group receiving SGB treatments, compared with −6.1 points (95% CI, −9.8 to −2.3 points) for those receiving sham treatment (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCEIn this trial of active-duty service members with PTSD symptoms (at a clinical threshold and subthreshold), 2 SGB treatments 2 weeks apart were effective in reducing CAPS-5 total symptom severity scores over 8 weeks. The mild-moderate baseline level of PTSD symptom severity and short follow-up time limit the generalizability of these findings, but the study suggests that SGB merits further trials as a PTSD treatment adjunct.TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03077919
Selective blockade of the right cervical sympathetic chain at the C6 level is a safe and minimally invasive procedure that may provide durable relief from anxiety symptoms associated with PTSD.
This study assessed which symptoms are most impacted following stellate ganglion block (SGB) used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. 30 active military service members with combat-related PTSD self-referred to their physician and psychologist. Patients were offered a SGB as part of their treatment program. Primary outcome was the magnitude of change for the 17 items on the PTSD Checklist-Military (PCL-M), which was administered the week before SGB, 1 week after SGB, and 2 to 4 months later. Mean PCL-M score decreased from 49 at baseline to 32, 1 week after the procedure (p < 0.001). 2 to 4 months after SGB, patients maintained an average PCL-M of 32. Patients reported greatest improvement in the first week after SGB for the following symptoms: irritability or angry outbursts, difficulty concentrating, and sleep disturbance. 2 to 4 months later, patients reported greatest improvement in the following: feeling distant or cut off, feeling emotionally numb, irritability or angry outbursts, and difficulty concentrating. SGB is a safe procedure that may provide extended relief for all clusters of PTSD symptoms. As a result of the significant reduction in hyperarousal and avoidance symptoms observed, this study supports incorporation of SGB into PTSD treatment plans.
Introduction Ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion block (SGB) is an injection of local anesthetic (8mL of 0.5% ropivacaine) in the neck to temporarily block the cervical sympathetic trunk which controls the body’s fight-or-flight response. This outpatient procedure takes less than thirty minutes and is immediately effective. Our goal was to determine if a left-sided stellate ganglion block is effective for treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. While right-sided SGB has been extensively studied, left-sided SGB has not been formally evaluated for this indication. Materials and Methods Our hypothesis was that patients who fail to improve following a right-sided SGB will report significant improvement following a left-sided SGB. A retrospective chart review was conducted for patients who received SGB for PTSD symptoms between August 2019 and March 2020. All procedures were performed at an established musculoskeletal practice by the same anesthesia/pain fellowship-trained physician. Subjects included those who underwent a left-sided SGB (LSGB) only after non-response to a right-sided SGB (RSGB). Non-response was defined as less than 10 points of improvement on a PTSD Checklist (PCL-5). Results Out of 205 patients, 20 did not respond to an RSGB and were included in our analysis. Ten of these patients subsequently received an LSGB, and 90% responded favorably (PCL-5 mean improvement = 28.3 points). Conclusions Based on our sample of 205 patients receiving SGB for PTSD, we concluded that at least 4.4% did not respond to a right-sided SGB but did have a significant response to a left-sided SGB.
Epidural analgesia is a widely used method of pain control in the labor and delivery setting but is not without risks. We present a case of Horner's syndrome and trigeminal nerve palsy as a rare complication of epidural analgesia in an obstetric patient. Although reported in few instances in the anesthesia literature, awareness among providers in obstetrics is critical because this could be the first sign of a high sympathetic blockade resulting in potential maternal-fetal morbidity. Case ReportA healthy 25-year-old woman, gravida 2 para 1, was admitted to the hospital for active labor at 39 weeks gestation. Her past medical history was remarkable only for occasional migraine headaches, and her prenatal course, including labs, had been unremarkable. During an uneventful first stage of labor, epidural anesthesia was requested. A lumbar epidural catheter was placed at the interspace between the third and fourth lumbar vertebrae using a midline approach and a loss of resistance to saline through a 17-gauge Touhy needle. A test dose of 3 mL of 1.5% lidocaine with 5 g of epinephrine per milliliter was administered without appreciable evidence of either intravascular or intrathecal placement of the catheter. A bolus of 10 mL of 0.2% bupivacaine with 2 g of fentanyl per milliliter was administered over 10 minutes, and then an infusion of the same solution was started at 8 mL per hour. Approximately 20 minutes after epidural catheter placement, the patient complained that the left side of her face "felt funny." On evaluation by her family physician, the patient reported decreased sensation to light touch on the left cheek in the distribution of the maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve and was observed to have miosis and ptosis on the left side. Pinprick demonstrated the level of analgesia at the fourth thoracic segment on the left and at the fifth thoracic segment on the right. The patient's grip strength was found to be normal, and she denied dyspnea. There were no other cranial nerve abnormalities or neurologic deficits appreciated.Simultaneously, the patient's blood pressure dropped from 115/68 mm Hg to a range of 90s/30s mm Hg for several minutes. After receiving 10 mg of ephedrine IV, her blood pressure returned to 110s/50s mm Hg, but her neurologic symptoms persisted. During this period, fetal monitoring was uneventful without decelerations or bradycardia. Due to concerns for these neurologic findings, the epidural infusion was stopped, and labor allowed to progress. About 30 minutes after stopping the infusion, the patient's symptoms of facial numbness, ptosis, and miosis resolved.Within the hour, the patient desired further pain control with epidural anesthesia. Therefore, she was repositioned, and an infusion of the same solution was started at 6 mL per hour without a bolus. This was followed by an uneventful progression of labor and vaginal delivery of a healthy male infant. No further signs or symptoms of Horner's syndrome or trigeminal nerve palsy were evident during the rest of this patient's labor, de...
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